


Led Astray

by coffeegirlnicky



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Amnesia, College, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Forbidden Love, M/M, Prince Eren Yeager, Prince Levi Ackerman, Step-Brothers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-18 21:34:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29989155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffeegirlnicky/pseuds/coffeegirlnicky
Summary: As a college junior, Eren has a lot to worry about-- like finding a job, and tolerating his insufferable brother Jean. He was adopted into Jean’s family when he was 10 years old after suffering a severe case of amnesia.Eren had accepted the loss of his childhood memories until one day a face from his past appears and forces him to journey to Sina, a warring country with a dreadful King. Could Eren actually have ties to the royal family? With the help of his old friends, Eren slowly remembers who he’s truly meant to be.Meanwhile, Eren has to overcome the obstacle of the King’s spiteful son, Levi. However, Levi soon realizes that Eren is what the kingdom really needs, and maybe what he needs, too.
Relationships: Levi Ackerman/Eren Yeager
Comments: 10
Kudos: 22





	1. I'm a What?!

_8:35 AM, Monday  
  
_

I burst into my brother’s room, my alarm still blaring through my phone speakers. Of course, the lazy sack of shit lies unmoving despite the noise. Annoyed, I barrel towards him and shake his lifeless body without remorse. “Shit, come on Jean, we both overslept.”  
  


With a groan, Jean rubs his eyes and mumbles for me to shut up.   
  


“We’re already 30 minutes late to class,” I argue, not needing him to slow me down any more. “Whatever, just be ready to leave in 5 minutes.” I leave my phone with the alarm still ringing beside his head and exit the room, rushing to brush my teeth and get dressed for the day.  
  


“Are you serious, Eren?” Jean growls ferociously, and I hear a series of rustling noises followed by a _clank_ loud enough to echo through the bathroom walls.  
  


_He didn’t.  
  
_

Toothbrush still in my mouth, I jog back to Jean’s room and peek inside. I notice Jean sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor with a grim expression.  
  


“Jean, what was…” My eyes follow his gaze to a pile of metal and glass on the floor.  
  


“Fuck!” I lunge towards him, grasping my toothbrush like a knife with full intention to kill. Jean fights me back until we are wrestling on the floor, neither of us giving in.  
  


“Shit… Eren, I didn’t--” he grunts, pushing me off of him. “I didn’t mean to!”  
  


“Oh yeah, what did you think would happen?! I’ve only had that phone for 2 months!” I yell, breathing heavily.  
  


“Well maybe you shouldn’t have left it next to my _face!_ ” He roars, wiping his forehead. “And stop fucking spitting, you’re getting toothpaste all over me!”  
  


“Okay, I _know_ you’re not saying this is my fault. If you just controlled yourself for _one minute_ , my new phone wouldn’t be shattered to pieces!” I stand up, unable to hide how upset I’m feeling.  
  
“I’ll get mom to buy you a new phone,” Jean says dismissively.   
  


“No! Don’t… Don’t tell Julia to do that.”  
  


_I couldn’t make Julia buy me another phone so soon.  
  
_

Jean rolls his eyes and sighs as he finally stands from the floor.  
  


“So you’d rather have no phone? Mom’ll buy you one, Eren, stop being such a prissy baby about it. And call her mom, won’t you?”  
  


I say nothing as I go back to the restroom to rinse my mouth. Although I’ve been living here with Jean and his parents for ten years, it’s still hard for me to fully feel like I’m a part of this family. Julia and Thomas adopted me from the orphanage even though I was a problem child. Aside from my anger issues, I was messed up in the head. I was ten years old, but had almost no memories of my life up until then.  
  


We don’t know why. They said I was dropped off at the orphanage doorstep anonymously. When they asked me questions, I couldn’t speak. They said I must have been heavily sedated to the point that I was in and out of consciousness for days. By the time I recovered, the damage had already been done. Whatever sedatives I was on had fucked up my brain beyond repair.  
  


Obviously, I was angry. I lived as an orphan with no explanation as to why I was abandoned, or who I even was. The only thing I remembered is my name. It’s a miracle that Jean’s parents wanted to adopt me at all. Sometimes I wonder if it was out of pity.  
  


I shake my head, breaking out of my stupor and finishing my morning routine. After washing my face, I pull on a pair of worn jeans and a loose hand-me-down sweater I got from Jean’s dad. It’s a little big on me, but I actually prefer oversized clothes like this.   
  


I tie my hair into a small ponytail before heading downstairs to grab a banana. Julia sits comfortably at the dining table, sipping a cup of coffee. When she smiles at me, all of my worries melt away.   
  


“Hello, dear. Are you two fighting again?”   
  


She was the nicest woman I’d ever met. I had no reason to feel unwelcome here, when she had obviously adopted me out of the kindness of her heart and nothing more.   
  


“Yep. It’s Jean’s fault, though,” I say with a growl before looking up the stairwell impatiently. “Jean! I’m leaving!”  
  


Shortly, Jean appears bumbling down the stairwell, a slur of curses spewing from his mouth. “Why the hell did we sign up for an 8 AM class again? It’s so stupid,” he says.  
  


“If you woke up on time we wouldn’t be so late.”  
  


“Are you forgetting that _you_ overslept, too?”  
  


I shrug, taking a bite from my banana and waving goodbye to Julia before heading out, Jean following behind me. We walk in a semi-jog, feeling rushed but not enough to actually run.  
  


“Tell me why we don’t drive to school again,” Jean groans.  
  


“School is like, ten minutes away. It doesn’t matter, we’re already late.”  
  


We walk the familiar route to University Maria, continuing to bicker along the way. As it approaches 9 AM, the pathway is almost empty. The commuters have already arrived at work, and the day has begun.  
  


We are nearly at the school’s entrance when I notice a woman guarding the doors, arms crossed. Her hair is cut into a chic bob, and she wears black slacks, a smart red blazer and a matching red sunhat. Donned in pearls, she has the aura of someone of great importance, though she seems to be about my age. She stands with such poise and strength that I can’t look away.  
  


“Whoa… What a babe,” Jean finally says as we approach her.  
  


“Shut up, she might hear you.” I nudge him heavily in the side.  
  


At our squabble, the woman’s eyes snap towards us. Her gaze is so intense that I am caught off guard.

_  
Is she… staring at me?_   
  


I glance at Jean, feeling unnerved by the attention of this woman.  
  


“Hi?” I say awkwardly as we pass by her.  
  


“Hi,” Jean mimics in a high-pitched voice. I’m about to nudge him again when the woman suddenly grabs onto my arm, keeping me in place.  
  


“Wha--” I start to say, but she cuts me off.  
  


“Eren.”   
  


Our eyes lock, and I notice now that she is practically tearing up.  
  


“...Yes?” I manage, feeling dumbfounded.

  
“Eren, it’s you.” She smiles, pulling me into a tight embrace.  
  


_What the fuck?_   
  


I push away from her, and glance over at Jean for help. He stands there with a stupid look on his face, seeming as lost as I am. _‘You know her?’_ he mouths to me, eyebrows raised. I shake my head no, because I really have no idea.   
  


“Do we... know each other?” I ask.  
  


“We do… We do, Eren.”  
  


She smiles, her gaze unwavering. “It’s Mikasa. I’ve been searching for you for years.” I rack my brain for the name, but come up empty.  
  


_For years, she said._   
  


It occurs to me that she might actually be someone who knew me from the past. That’s the only explanation for her familiarity with me. Otherwise, there’s no way I would have been able to forget a woman like this.   
  


“Sorry, um… do you know me from a long time ago? I actually, uh… don’t remember most of my childhood…”  
  


I scratch my head, feeling embarrassed at the admission of my condition. Throughout my life, it’s been a struggle to tell people about my amnesia. Most people think it’s a joke, or some weird way of avoiding questions about myself.  
  


“I know,” she says.  
  


_She knows?_   
  


“What… do you mean? Who are you?” I demand, suddenly feeling adamant.   
  


_Who is this woman to barge into my life claiming she knows that I’ve lost my memories?  
  
_

“Eren, I promise I’ll tell you everything… but… I need you to come with me, first.”  
  


Her grip on my arm tightens.  
  


“Um, what? Come with you where?”  
  


“I need to take you home.”  
  


Her expression turns serious, and she urgently tugs me away from the school building. She is surprisingly strong, and I end up lamely walking beside her.  
  


“I don’t think so.” Jean latches onto my other arm, stopping me in my tracks. “I don’t know who the fuck you are, but you are not kidnapping my brother right in front of me.”  
  


_Kidnap…?  
  
_

“Yeah, I’m not going anywhere with you,” I say, attempting to shake off her grip to no avail.  
  


“This is your brother?” Mikasa asks, looking at him for the first time as if sizing him up. “I see,” she says before finally releasing me.  
  


“Yeah, he’s my brother. Now can you just explai--” I begin, but I’m knocked to the ground so forcefully that I lose my breath.   
  


As soon as Mikasa released me, a burly man in a suit had thrown his hands around my neck with a vice-like grip. In seconds, I am too weak to fight back. By the time I realize I am being muzzled, my vision is already blurring.  
  


The last thing I see is Jean struggling to fight against another man.

  
  


\--

  
  


I wake up with a violent sickness, immediately retching onto the floor. The ground is spinning, and I breath heavily before finally opening my eyes. I am handed a bottle of water, which I take without question, downing it completely.  
  


_The sound of tires driving over gravel…  
  
_

_Bright light coming in through the windows…  
  
_

_I’m in… a car.  
  
_

It’s a limousine, I recognize. The only other time I’ve been in a limo was during my high school prom, and the fact that I’m in one now just confuses me further. I'm seated on the floor beside Jean, who is patting my back.   
  


“Jean… what the.. fuck is going on?”

  
“I don’t know… I woke up a little before you, but that bitch refuses to tell me anything.” He glares across the vehicle at Mikasa, who stares down at us from her seat.  
  


“I’m sorry, Eren,” she whispers.   
  


“You… What’s your fucking problem?? Where are you taking us?” I try to yell, but my voice comes out scratched and quiet.   
  


“Eat this,” she says gently, offering me a wrapped pastry. I ignore it.  
  


“Tell me why you’re doing this,” I demand.  
  


After a moment's silence, Mikasa sighs. “Okay,” she agrees after what feels like an eternity. “The truth is… I’m your cousin, Eren.”  
  


“I don’t see how that’s a good reason to _kidnap_ me,” I snap, though I can’t deny my building curiosity.  
  


“Do you recognize where we are? We took a private jet to the Palace of Sina.”  
  


I look out the windows, taking in the scenery. I hadn’t noticed before, but we are driving through a vast countryside surrounded by a heavy forest. In the distance, I can see the outlines of what looks like a castle. “The Palace of Sina? You mean, like… _The_ Palace of Sina?” I repeat, feeling more confused by the second.  
  


“Yes. You must at least recognize it from the news. It’s the home of King Kenneth.” She pauses, and says the rest of her words more quietly. “It’s your home too.”  
  


Jean and I exchange wide-eyed glances before Jean speaks up.  
  


“What do you mean it’s _his_ home? You obviously know where we live. It’s not in fucking Sina.”  
  


“I know it’s hard to believe, but this is the truth,” Mikasa says matter-of-factly. “Eren is the son of the late Queen Carla. After her death, Eren suddenly went missing… and it took ages to find you, but I finally did it. I found you.” Her voice trembles. She moves from her seat to crouch besides us on the floor of the limo.  
  


“I know you don’t remember me Eren, but I’ve missed you so much. You were my best friend when we were kids.” She reaches for my hand, but Jean slaps her away.  
  


“Hey, are you crazy? Eren, don’t trust her. Don’t you think if you were really some lost prince, they would’ve sent someone more… professional? Not this lunatic who knocked us out and dragged us to another country at first sight.”  
  


I nod slowly, feeling overwhelmed by everything this woman has said. “… If you think that I’m the Queen’s son, then… then that would mean…”  
  


“You’re a prince,” Mikasa states plainly.  
  


I shake my head, and I hear Jean snort loudly.  
  


“This lady is on something, Eren. She thinks you’re a prince? Give me a break.”  
  


After shooting him an icy glare, Mikasa whips out her phone and quickly types something out.  
  


“Here.” She hands me the phone, and I look at the article on the screen. The title reads _What Happened to Prince Eren?_ and is accompanied by a photo of a young regal woman with long brown hair tied into a side ponytail. Beside her, a young boy smiles brightly, his teal eyes looking into the frame.  
  


I look back and forth from the woman to the boy, and both Jean and I are stunned into silence.  
  


_It’s me.  
  
_

_There’s no denying it. The boy is young, but this is definitely what I looked like as a child, although I look only about 7 or 8 years old in this photo.  
  
_

“...Well, shit,” Jean mutters.  
  


“Why didn’t you just tell me when you met me?” I ask, exasperated. If she had just shown me this photo from the beginning, I would have believed her story. I rub my head, still recovering from the nausea of being knocked out for several hours.  
  


“I’m sorry… but I can’t be seen with you in public. Please believe me.”  
  


I don’t like the sound of that, but before I can object, a voice calls to us from the front of the limo.  
  


“Your majesty, we’re almost there.”  
  


“Got it.”   
  


Now that we are closer, I can tell that the castle is much, much larger than I anticipated. And heavily guarded. Several armed soldiers pace along the pathway.

  
Mikasa reaches beneath the seats and unfolds a large blanket. “I’m going to need you to cover yourselves with this for now. Please, just trust me.”  
  


“We… have to hide?” I question.  
  


“I know this won’t make sense right now, but… Believe me Eren, everyone will be overjoyed that you’re back. But we need to get you in safely first.”  
  


“If everyone will be overjoyed, why am I hiding?”  
  


“There’s a time and place for everything, Eren. Please.”  
  


“You’ll just knock us out again if we don’t do it, right?” Jean interjects. When Mikasa doesn’t reply, Jean and I take the initiative to silently drape the blanket over our bodies. The darkness makes me feel carsick, but I hold in my discomfort.  
  


When me and Jean are secured together under the cover, he whispers beside me.  
  


“Eren, this is crazy.”  
  


“I know, I know… I just… need to think about this.”  
  


“Do you think you’re really the prince?”  
  


“I don’t know, but… we can’t deny that boy in the photo is me.”  
  


“Shouldn’t we call the police or something?” He asks.  
  


I roll my eyes. “That’s a good idea. Oh wait, you broke my phone this morning. Why don’t you call?”  
  


“...I forgot mine at home,” Jean admits.  
  


Shortly, the limo slows down to a stop and we hear Mikasa speaking to a soldier outside in a commanding voice. Somehow, the tone she uses now sounds much more… regal. She announces her arrival back at the Palace, and explains she will be traveling to the Eastern Mess Hall. Once the windows close and the limo takes off again, Mikasa lifts the blanket off of us.  
  


“So…” I begin.  
  


“There’s one person who won’t be pleased that you’ve returned,” Mikasa announces.  
  


“Huh? What do you mean?” I question.  
  


“The King has a son. He’s first in line for the throne.”  
  


“Oh… so he’s my brother?”  
  


“Kind of, yes. I’ll explain more later, but… Let’s just say he may feel threatened by your presence.”   
  


“Okay…” I respond warily. “Why?”  
  


“...It’s complicated. He’s not a charitable man. Even if we tell him you’re here on good terms, he won’t believe us.”  
  


“Why wouldn’t he want me here if we’re brothers?”  
  


“I promise that I’ll explain everything soon, Eren. Let’s focus on getting you both safely inside first.”  
  


“Can you at least tell me his name?”  
  


Mikasa sighs, visibly not pleased at having to talk about this man.  
  


“...It’s Prince Levi.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! This is my first fanfic that I'm posting on AO3, so I'm really excited to hear what y'all think!!
> 
> I've been thinking about this story concept for a loooooong time, and tbh the thought of Levi as the cold blooded prince keeps me UP at night. He'll show up soon, I promise!
> 
> And yes, King Kenneth is Kenny LOL. Something about the name Kenny just isn't very ~refined~.


	2. The King's Son is a Tyrant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren is taken inside the Palace, where he is reunited with another familiar face. Although he tries to hide from the royal family, it turns out that a certain someone has already heard news of his arrival... and he isn't happy about it.

As we reach the entrance, the limo slows to a stop. A set of massive, golden doors creak open. I notice that the handles are engraved with a golden letter ‘A,’ symbolic of the family name-- Ackerman. 

_We really are at the Palace of Sina._

Jean and I are silent as the limo passes through the entrance and drives through a roundabout encircling a massive statue. Within it, three golden figures are sculpted as if they are erupting from a base of flying birds. The figure facing the gate is recognizable as King Kenneth Ackerman himself. His face is one that I’ve seen on the news and on social media enough that his image is engraved in my memory. He has a stern expression as he stands stoically amidst the birds.

Besides him stands a woman with her arms raised, as if commanding the birds forward. I don’t recognize her at first, but I soon see that she is the woman in the photo from before. The late Queen Carla. In other words, this must be my mother.

I feel a strange tug on my chest as I stare up at the carved marble and gold, slowly passing by as we drive along. Her hair is tied up into an elegant bun, and she wears a long gown. She’s beautiful and powerful, and I can’t bring myself to look away. 

_Could someone like that really be… my birth mother?_

Even as I stare into the chiseled details of her face, it’s as if I’m looking at any other stranger. If I had my memories, I wonder what I would be thinking now.

The third figure on the statue is unfamiliar to me. It’s a young man, facing towards the palace with an easygoing smile, as if he had just been laughing at something. It calms me to look at it, despite my increasing nerves.

“That’s Prince Levi,” Mikasa states, following my gaze.

“Really…” I mumble. “He doesn’t look all that bad.”

Mikasa rolls her eyes. “That statue was built 10 years ago. Trust me, he’s no gentle bird whisperer.”

“When do you get a statue, Eren?” Jean asks. I snort quietly at the thought. Even if this is all somehow reality, it feels ridiculous to even entertain the thought of myself as one of the royal figures shimmering in gold above us.

“Yeah, right...” I say, rolling my eyes. 

“It could be soon, now that he’s back,” Mikasa replies casually. I feel my heart beginning to race again. 

“What?” I whisper. “There’s no way… Seriously, right?” I smile awkwardly, searching for the joke in Mikasa’s words, but her expression remains stoic.

“Royal family members usually get a statue made for them when they turn 18… You’re two years overdue.” 

“I…” I point back at the statue fervently. “Are you serious? You mean I could be getting engraved next to those three?” 

“You deserve to be.” Mikasa nods, but my gut still tells me that she must be lying. For as long as I can remember, I’ve never been too comfortable in front of cameras. It’s embarrassing to be put on display for other people to see. I can’t even imagine my figure being displayed on a grand statue like that. I decide not to take her words too seriously for now-- After all, I don’t even fully know the reason why I’m here at all.

Soon enough, the limo stops, and two men are opening the doors for us. Mikasa exits first, and Jean and I tentatively follow her lead. Jean lingers by the car, eyeing the doormen.

“What is it, Jea--”

“Hey, these are the bastards that knocked us out!” Jean yells. 

I peer at the men and realize that it’s true. 

“You’re right,” I say. 

Jean swings a fist, but is stopped easily by one of the men. The other man grabs onto Jean’s other arm, holding him in place.

“Jean!”

I’m about to rush towards him, but Mikasa holds me back. “Reiner. Bertholdt. Release him,” Mikasa commands. Without a moment's hesitance, the two men let go of Jean, who stumbles towards us.

“Ouch, man…” he whispers, rubbing his arm.

“Serves you right,” I tease.

Jean and I fall into a natural spat as we follow Mikasa towards the nearest building. For a moment, things almost feel normal again. It’s as if we are back to where we left off, bickering on our way to class. Of course, that delusion ends when we are hastily led through the backdoor of a grand kitchen.

I am instantly shut up by the heavenly smells of roasting meats, fresh bread, soups and sweets. Instinctively, I feel my stomach growl and I place a hand over it.

To my dismay Mikasa continues to tug me through the room, beyond the rows of filled platters and bustling cooks. I notice that we are taking a very specific route, one that could only lead to the blonde man standing in the corner, intently stirring a large pot.

As we approach, he takes notice of us. Almost comically, he jumps back, dropping his spoon to the ground and standing agape. It makes me smile. Even before Mikasa introduces us, I know he must be another person from my past.

“Mikasa! Is this…?” The man eyes me over, and I have a feeling of deja vu. “Eren?” he asks, jogging to meet me where I stand.

I nod, offering an awkward smile. “Um, yeah. That’s me.”

With a bright grin, the boy throws his arms around me, bringing me into a tight embrace. His golden hair is tied into a neat braid, but I can still feel its softness brush against my cheek.

“Eren! You’re back!” he squeals, his fingers clenching my shirt as he holds me closer. Though I have no idea who he is, I can’t help but laugh along at his excitement. 

“Armin!” I yell, hugging him back. Suddenly, he jerkily pulls away, locking gazes with me. 

“You said my name,” he states, wide-eyed. “I thought you forgot everything.”

_What?_

I pause, taking in what he’s said.

_What did I say? I don’t recognize this guy at all._

“I-I don’t know. It just slipped out. Was I right?”

Armin nods. “You were. That’s great, Eren. That means a part of you remembers me, even just a little bit.” I notice Mikasa cross her arms, and I can’t help but feel a bit guilty for not remembering her name as well.

“And who is this?” Armin asks, turning to Jean.

“Jean,” he replies. “I’m Eren’s brother. That bitch dragged me here along with him,” he says gesturing to Mikasa with his thumb.”

_Jean…_

“It’s nice to meet you, Jean.” Armin extends his hand towards Jean, who shakes it despite wearing an expression of distrust. “I’m sorry for our rudeness … It must have been an awful journey, but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive her. Mikasa only meant to bring Eren back to us,” the blonde explains earnestly. I decide that I like Armin.

“You Eren’s cousin or some shit too?” Jean asks.

Armin giggles, waving his hands fervently in front of him.

“No, no, no. Absolutely not, I’m just a cook for the royal family. Although…” he turns to me, his fond smile returning. “When Eren was here, I was just the cook’s son. Eren played with me like any other boy his age, even though he was the crown prince...”

Armin sighs, his gaze on me unwavering. “You look so different, Eren… You got tanner, and you’re even taller than me now.”

I feel myself getting embarrassed under his scrutiny, and I avoid his eyes.

_Does he really see me as the crown prince?_

I tug on the sleeves of my sweater, suddenly fully aware of my sloppy appearance. 

_If I was really the crown prince, he must have a pretty shitty opinion of how I’ve turned out._

“Sorry…” I whisper, and inwardly cringe at my own awkwardness.

“Sorry?”  
  
“I’m just… sorry I don’t remember you."

Armin shrugs, patting my arm lightly. “It’s not your fault, Eren. I’m sure that you’ll remember eventually. And if you don’t… well, that’s alright too. What’s important is that you’re here now. We need you now more than ever.” That last bit catches my attention. 

_They need me?_

“Oh, but…” he looks down at his watch. “It’s only an hour til’ dinner. I need to get back to work.”

He gestures towards the door at the end of the room.

“The royal family will be returning soon… It’s important that no one sees you here, especially Prince Levi.”

_Prince Levi again. Just what are they so afraid of?_

“There’s a garden just around the building outside. I’ll get you both some food, and you should hide out there for a while.”

My stomach rumbles again at the mention of food, and I am reminded that I haven’t eaten in several hours. “Please,” I reply. After we are handed a large plate, Mikasa escorts us out to the garden. I can hardly restrain myself from devouring the meal, and I’m already halfway done by the time we arrive. It’s all absolutely delicious, and much needed. 

There is a variety of roasted meats, like beef, duck, and some other thing I can’t even identify on my own, but it tastes unlike anything I’ve ever eaten. We were also given two slices of warm bread, shredded brussel sprouts, mushroom stew and a banana pudding. I almost think I might cry.

Taking a seat on one of the stone benches, I sigh in relief. I’m feeling much more reenergized already. Mikasa remains standing. As I continue to scarf down my food, a phone is shoved in front of me. I cock an eyebrow up at Mikasa as I silently take the phone from her.

“You should call your family,” she explains. “Tell them you’re on a spontaneous vacation, or something. Or tell them the truth, if you want… but that might be hard to explain.” A sudden sense of dread overcomes me. I turn to Jean, who shakes his head.

“No way, man. You’re the reason we’re here, you do it,” he says. I turn back to Mikasa, who only sighs.

“One of you needs to call. I have to go now, Eren… but I’ll be back to take you to your rooms.”

“Where are you going?” I ask.

“To dinner. I’m a princess too. I’m expected at the dining hall.”

_Right. Mikasa is actually a member of the royal family._

She smiles at me before taking her leave. And now, Jean and I are alone for what feels like the first time in ages. I hold the phone in my hand, staring blankly at the screen.

_It must be almost night by now… Julia and Thomas must be worried sick._

Fingers trembling, I dial out Julia’s cell number. Almost immediately, I hear her voice on the other end of the line. It takes all of my willpower to maintain a calm and steady tone. “Hey, Julia… Yep, Jean and I are alright,” I reassure her. “Sorry we didn’t call earlier, my phone… died, and Jean left his at home.” She confirms that she’s been terribly worried, and urges us to return home soon.

“Actually…” I begin. “Our liberal studies professor is taking another group of students on a tour this week, and, um… well, it’s a different class but he just asked us if we’d be interested, and Jean and I said yes.” I hear Jean snicker, but I tune him out. “Yeah...It’s um… you know, different companies and museums and stuff. Yeah, it’s a big deal… Um… We’ll probably be gone for… a week?” I hold my breath, hoping that my spew of lies doesn’t make Julia too suspicious. After pulling a few more lies out of my ass, I somehow manage to get through the phone call successfully. 

When I hear the dial tone, I let out a sigh of relief and close my eyes, hunching over my knees. “I can’t believe mom believed that,” Jean says. “You were like… _um…I don’t know, a week?_ ” he mocks in a weak voice.

I scowl at him. “I’d like to see you try and do better.”

“I’d just say I broke a leg or something.”

“Like hell that would work!” I yell, shoving his arm. By the time we finish our meal, we are bantering once again. I would never admit it, but the fighting actually helps me to relax. If Jean weren’t here to bring some normalcy to my life right now, I would feel much more distressed and alone.

And as the sun is setting, I hear a noise like someone running in the distance.

_Are those… hooves?_

I whip my head around as a large, black horse approaches the garden.

“Hey… Didn’t they say no one would come into the garden?” Jean asks.

“Yeah…” 

Not sure what to do, we just watch as the rider guides the horse along the path, directly towards us. The image is strangely ethereal; the massive horse eventually slowing to a stop in front of us. I’ve never seen a horse up close before and the creature alone startles me into silent awe.

The man atop the horse fits the image perfectly, wearing a black, billowy shirt rolled up at the sleeves to reveal his tight grip on the reins. Without meaning to, I scan his skin from the veins on his wrist up to his bare neck, left exposed by his loose-fit shirt, up to his cheeks, tinted red from the cold, and up again to his windblown black hair. I almost don’t register the words he is saying as he spits them out, and it takes me a moment to connect the fact that the huskiness in his voice means that this man is angry with me.

“… It really is you. Eren.” 

The man slides his leg over the saddle, jumping down to the floor in one swift motion. He marches towards me, suddenly gripping my shirt and tugging me to my feet. 

“Gah--” I stutter, struggling and failing to release myself from his grasp. “What are you doing?” I manage to get out.

“What are _you_ doing here, Eren?”

“I-- I didn’t mean to come here. Mikasa--”

“Mikasa brought you? I know.”

I grimace, looking directly into his face now. 

_This person… I’ve seen him before._

I remember, in a flash, the sculpture at the front of the palace. Though this man seems older and crueler, I match his features to those of the gentle boy carved in marble.

“Prince...Levi?” I guess. Without responding, his expression contorts into one of disgust as he turns away from me sharply, tugging me by the collar towards the palace.

“H-Hey--” I begin, afraid of repeating the scenario from this morning. “Hey! What are you doing?” 

He stops in his tracks suddenly. “Having you killed for treason.”

“What?!” I screech, pulling away from him hard enough that he lets me go. “What the fuck?!”

“You must have been living happily in Shiganshina. You should have stayed there.”

“I told you, I was brought here forcefully, okay? I’m sorry you don’t want to see me.”

Levi suddenly turns back to me, his eyes narrowed. “You’re sorry?” he asks icily. I feel my nerves act up at the accusation, though I don’t know what he’s talking about. “I’m sorry too, that your little escape plan failed after all.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Actually, I… have amnesia,” I admit. 

Levi lets out a curt, cold laugh. “You have amnesia? Want me to hit you and see if I can knock your betrayal back into you?”

“I said I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about!” I yell loudly. His words are starting to aggravate me and I clench my hands into fists.

Levi only rolls his eyes. “Unless you’re here to plead forgiveness for the past ten years… you deserve to rot, Eren.”

_Forgiveness?_

I feel my face heating up as my tone raises. “What do you want me to apologize for? Having amnesia? Being alive? Well, I’m not sorry. It’s not my fault that I was adopted by a new family, and now I have a better brother than you could ever be. Mikasa told me you were a dick, and she was right. You’re a fucking asshole.” 

I feel a sharp sting on my cheek as my ears start ringing. I realize that he’s slapped me. I hold my hand up to my cheek to feel a warm liquid running down my face. At first I think they’re tears, but I look down to see that my hand is streaked with red.

Now, Jean is next to me, holding my face in his hands. He snaps his fingers loudly to get my attention, and I hear him speak again. “Holy shit, Eren...” Jean holds a napkin to my cheek and begins dabbing the blood away. Levi stares at the two of us, and I look closer to see him clutching his own hand.

_That dick… he hit me with his ring._

“He’s telling the truth. He has amnesia,” I hear Jean say from beside me as he continues nursing my wound. I almost think that Levi’s going to attack me again, but instead he remains quiet. His eyes seem to be burning with a rage beyond my comprehension.

Without saying a word, he storms past us, shoving me with his shoulder as he does. Soon enough I hear a series of rustling followed by the sound of the horse galloping away from the garden and into the night. Just like that, Prince Levi is gone from the garden, leaving me to tend to my wound.

“That’s the worst guy I’ve ever seen,” Jean says quietly. “Cocky bastard. Just because he’s the prince he thinks he can throw you around like that? ...He knows he’s fucking short, right?” Jean mumbles. I know he’s trying to make me feel better, but I can’t find it in me to laugh. 

“I don’t care what he thinks. He’s insane,” I spit. I can still feel my heart pounding in my chest as I recall his words. 

_He wants me to beg for forgiveness?_

My mind races with the possible reasons that someone could harbor such an intense hatred for me-- for something I did as a child ten years ago. I can’t think of anything that could justify his anger. 

As I’m quietly seething, Mikasa rushes back into the garden in a hurry. I hear her footsteps accompanied by a series of worried pleas, but I’m too stuck in my own vendetta against Prince Levi to even look up at her.

“Petty bastard…” I mutter, gripping the bloodied napkin and throwing it to the floor. “He thinks he can just run away after insulting me and my mother… I won’t let him go.” 

“Eren…” Mikasa begins. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think he knew you were here.”

“ _He’s_ the one who should be fucking sorry. Where did he go?”

Mikasa shakes her head. “He must be headed into the banquet hall with the King… I already ate because Levi was so late, but the King stayed behind.” She sighs, eyeing me closely. “But Eren, you can’t possibly enter there.”

“Why not? Does the King hate me too?” I ask, astonished. “Didn’t I go missing at ten years old? Why the fuck are they so mad at me for something I can’t even remember?” I growl. When Mikasa says nothing, my impatience grows. “Mikasa, why?”

She sighs, crossing her arms. “It’s not so much what you did, but… It’s Queen Carla. Back when we were kids, the Kingdom was in shambles, to say the least. The previous king, your father, passed away suddenly when the country was at war.”

This comes as news to me. “The current King isn’t my father?”

Mikasa shakes her head. “No… He married Queen Carla shortly after your father’s death. Their union was supposed to bring peace to Sina, but…” She lowers her voice to a near whisper. “King Kenneth has done nothing for the people. You must know that he’s despised as a tyrant.” Now that she mentions it, I did hear something about King Kenneth’s cruel reputation.

I feel a shiver run down my spine as I remember Prince Levi’s threat to have me killed for treason. It feels more real now that I know the King might have let it happen as well.

“Your mother realized the King’s rule was unjust, and she tried to take you away to Shiganshina to study democracy…” Mikasa continues. “But, well… She escaped without telling anyone, and we found out that she was killed by insurgents along the way… and you never returned to the palace…”

“Well, duh. I didn’t remember shit,” I say.

“No one could find you, Eren… They assumed that you chose to stay in Shiganshina and abandon your country even after we lost the Queen...”

I gulp, wrapping my arms around myself.

“So… What, I really am a traitor?” 

“No, Eren. There’s no way you could have known about Sina. If everyone knew that you had amnesia, they would understand.” Mikasa grabs my hand and gently gives it a squeeze.

“But they don’t know. I’m not wanted here at all,” I scoff.

“You are wanted, Eren… I want you here. Everyone who remembers you loves you.” She smiles. “I knew you would never betray us.”

I try to smile back. It seems like Mikasa really has believed in me all these years, even though no one else has. I’m still piecing together information, but I’m slowly starting to see the full picture.

_Fine…_

_So they all hate me for ‘abandoning’ the country. Fine._

I straighten my back, turning towards the palace. “I need to see the King for myself,” I decide. “He doesn’t know I have amnesia, right?”

“No, he doesn’t, but--”

“I need to see him. If they hate me now, then I’m the only one who can change that.”

Mikasa frowns before following my gaze towards the palace. “You should let me talk to them first, Eren.”

“Why?” I ask. “Prince Levi already knows I’m here, and he’s probably telling the King right now. I need to tell them I’ve lost my memories or that asshole will sentence me to death first,” I hiss, pointing at the wound left on my cheek. “He’s already tried.” 

Mikasa doesn’t seem completely convinced, but she heeds my words. “Levi will be hard to convince. Do you really think you can?”

“I don’t care. I’ll convince him! It’s the truth, he can’t ignore it forever… That bastard... I’ll make him regret what he did to me today.”

The image of Levi’s rage-filled eyes haunts my mind.

“I’ll tell him everything until he accepts that I’ve done nothing wrong. And then… I’ll pay him back for scarring my face.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He's here! We love to hate him... I hope you all like this small introduction to Prince Levi, even though it was just him being angsty LOL.
> 
> Also, all the foods that Eren ate may or may not be directly taken from an article I read on what English royalty eats. I didn't know banana pudding even existed, and now I want it so bad...
> 
> Thanks for reading Chapter 2!


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